IP Library Granted Patent US 12662052
Granted Patent B2
US 12662052 · App. 18/983,056 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Display control device for displaying combined vehicle-mounted camera images with aligned vehicle icon

Inventors: Sho Horiuchi (Toyota, JP); Yoji Ichikawa (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
B60R1/22G06V20/58B60R2300/105B60R2300/307B60R2300/60
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12662052
App. No.
18/983,056
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The display control device displays captured images around a host vehicle captured by a plurality of vehicle-mounted cameras on a display unit. The display control device includes an image combining unit configured to combine the captured images of the plurality of vehicle-mounted cameras to generate a combined image, and an icon combining unit configured to generate a composite image by combining a vehicle icon with the combined image. The icon combining unit generates the composite image so that the imaging direction of the vehicle-mounted cameras and the orientation of the vehicle icon in the combined image are aligned when viewed from the host vehicle.

Claims (22)

1 . A display control device configured to display captured images around a host vehicle captured by a plurality of vehicle-mounted cameras on a display unit, comprising:

an image combining unit configured to combine the captured images of the plurality of the vehicle-mounted cameras to generate a combined image around the host vehicle;

an icon combining unit configured to generate a composite image by combining a vehicle icon indicating the host vehicle with the combined image generated by the image combining unit;

a region specifying unit configured to specify a divided image region selected by a user among a plurality of divided image regions included in the composite image, the composite image is divided into the plurality of divided image regions corresponding to respective imaging areas of the plurality of the vehicle-mounted cameras;

a display control unit configured to display the composite image generated by the icon combining unit on the display unit, and to display the captured image of the vehicle-mounted camera corresponding to the specified divided image region on the display unit if the divided image region selected by the user is specified by the region specifying unit, and not to display the captured image of the vehicle-mounted camera other than the vehicle-mounted camera corresponding to the specified divided image region on the display unit;

a person tracking unit configured to recognize a person in the captured image and generate tracking information by tracking a movement of the person among the captured images of the plurality of the vehicle-mounted cameras; and

a suspiciousness degree calculation unit configured to calculate a suspiciousness degree of the recognized person based on the movement of the person recognized by the person tracking unit and a predetermined suspicious person action,

wherein the icon combining unit is configured to generate the composite image by combining the vehicle icon at a position of the host vehicle in the combined image so that an imaging direction of the vehicle-mounted camera and an orientation of the vehicle icon in the combined image are aligned when viewed from the host vehicle,

wherein the display control unit is configured to switch the captured images of the vehicle-mounted cameras so that the person recognized by the person tracking unit is displayed on the display unit according to the movement of the person based on the tracking information if the person recognized by the person tracking unit is present in the divided image region selected by the user, and

wherein the display control unit is configured to switch the captured images of the vehicle-mounted cameras so that the person having the highest suspiciousness degree calculated by the suspiciousness degree calculation unit is displayed on the display unit according to the movement of the person if a plurality of persons recognized by the person tracking unit are present in the divided image region selected by the user.

2 . The display control device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the display control unit is configured to display the combined image and the vehicle icon in the composite image so that the image is viewed from an oblique upper position of the host vehicle and its surroundings.

3 . The display control device according to claim 2 , wherein the display control unit is configured to adjust an orientation of the combined image and the vehicle icon in the composite image based on a viewing angle and viewpoint position instructed by the user.

4 . The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the suspiciousness degree calculation unit is configured to use artificial intelligence to calculate the suspiciousness degree.

5 . The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the suspiciousness degree calculation unit is configured to calculate a high suspiciousness degree when an action to steal the host vehicle or an action to vandalize the host vehicle is detected.

6 . The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the suspiciousness degree calculation unit is configured to calculate a high suspiciousness degree when a sign of an action to steal the host vehicle or an action to vandalize the host vehicle is detected.

7 . The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the predetermined suspicious person action includes actions to steal the host vehicle or actions to vandalize the host vehicle.

8 . The display control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit, wherein the suspiciousness degree calculation unit is configured to store the calculated suspiciousness degree in the storage unit.

9 . The display control device according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage unit configured to store the captured images captured by the plurality of vehicle-mounted cameras along with time information when the captured images were captured.

10 . The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the tracking information includes information indicating in which captured image of the vehicle-mounted cameras the recognized person is included as the person moves.

11 . The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the icon combining unit divides the composite image into the plurality of divided image regions using partition lines that partition the imaging areas of adjacent vehicle-mounted cameras.

12 . The display control device according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit has a touch panel function, and the user selects the divided image region by touching a display screen of the display unit.